The US Marines deployed to Nigeria last week have been moved to Sicily due to unrest in Borno state.

The US military is flying surveillance drones as well as manned aircraft over Nigeria to help the search for more than 200 schoolgirls kidnapped by Islamist extremists, the Pentagon confirmed Wednesday.

However, the data is not yet being shared with the Nigerians because Washington is still working out an agreement to govern the sharing of intelligence, Colonel Steven Warren told reporters.

The United States has deployed the Global Hawk, which flies at high altitude, and the manned MC-12, a turboprop plane heavily used in Afghanistan, for the mission, a defense official who spoke on condition of anonymity told AFP.

The Pentagon had initially declined to say publicly if drones were being used.

“I can confirm that we’re using both manned and unmanned aerial ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) assets in the search for the kidnapped girls,” Warren said, without identifying the plane models.

Both types of aircraft are “unarmed” and being used strictly for surveillance to help track the location of the schoolgirls, he added.

The unmanned Global Hawk, designed to succeed the U-2 spy plane, can survey a vast area of about 40,000 square miles (100,000 square kilometers) in a day with its sophisticated radar and sensors.

But the Americans insist on precise protocols on how intelligence can be passed on to other countries, fearing that sensitive information could fall into an adversary’s hands.

The commander of US forces in Africa, General David Rodriguez, paid a two-day visit to Nigeria this week to discuss how Washington can aid the government in the kidnapping crisis, including an accord on intelligence sharing.

Boko Haram extremists abducted 276 girls from the remote northeastern town of Chibok on April 14, and some 223 are still missing.

The kidnapping has triggered global outrage and the militants on Monday released a new video purporting to show some of the girls.

“We are continuing to work with the Nigerians to help locate the girls. We really don’t know where the girls are,” said a senior State Department official who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The area to be searched was “vast” and ideas about what may have happened to the girls remained “speculation,” the official said.

– Limited relations –

The United States was also conferring with neighboring countries and “those governments too are in communication with the Nigerians because they’ve all been engaged to try to figure out how to help with the search for the girls,” the official said.

Prior to the kidnapping, the US military had only limited relations with the Nigerian armed forces, which has included training on detecting and defusing homemade bombs.

Security ties have been hampered partly due to Washington’s concerns over heavy-handed tactics and human rights abuses by Nigerian troops battling militants in the northeast.

The State Department official acknowledged the issue, saying “we’ve been very clear about our concerns about… reports of and evidence of (rights) abuses and excessive violations of the Nigerian military.”

Washington has urged the Nigerian government “to hold violators accountable.”

Under US law, the American government faces restrictions on its security cooperation with foreign military units linked to human rights abuses.

As a result, the United States cannot work with a particular Nigerian counter-terrorism unit, the official said.

But the official added that Washington was encouraged by the Nigerian government’s recent statements signaling it would adopt a new approach in its counter-terrorism campaign.

Thanks to all those countries who have sent help, France rescued Mali from similar group last year, i think those guys moved to join Boko Haram, they will have another destination if they are finally kicked out of Nigeria, they may move to Kenya

Stop deceiving yourselves. there is no US marine anywhere in Nigeria. For those of you who believe that america is sending troops, it is a lie. Obama said he is not sending any US boot to Nigeria. Only security expert and hostage negotiators. So stop dreaming and face the truth which is “who are the people commanding the Nigerian Army”? They are the source of our problem. They dont want the insurgency to end because of the funds being allocated to it. And moreover, i came across a document which says that top muslim persons are behind Boko Haram.

You can only solve a problem by tackling it from its roots. Unless sponsors of Boka Haram Like IBB, Buhari, Atiku the 6 Governors, security personnel under the Jonathan administration including the Almighty Northern Imams are arrested, a tried for financing and sponsoring terror, then Nigeria will not know peace. Unfortunately Jonathan lacks the boldness to apprehend them. However, this is a great chance for Jonathan to stamp himself in the history books of Nigeria. To rescue his fading and non-nonchalant personality.
Stand-up Mr Jonathan and be man and a leader. No one is more powerful than the state. With the presence of Foreigner powers, in Nigeria, now is the time, to Halt IBB and the Northern clicks in Nigeria, who believe that power is a reserve only for the Northerners. Size the moments and make your history whether you win elections next year or not, History will write that, you corrected a vice that has taken millions of Nigerians Hostage, rendered millions poor and caused thousands others to descend into the hell of Kidnapping, Human parts trade, baby factories, cultism, etc.
Arrest them now and only now
Mugabe

Mali last yrs, france help them to kill and the rest killer run and join Boko Harm,their times are Nr,in nigeria,maybe they will relocate to somali or kenya,But God Alnight have bring, America,Israel,france,uk,chiana e.t.cto help the innocent gals, help people of North East and Nigeria to stop show us on TV and News paper around the world cos of this useless Boko Harm.